# Capacitor vs Expo

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Expo

| Attribute | Capacitor | Expo |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 59.4 (69% (medium)) | 68.9 (68% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 6 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 24,134 | 160,583 |
| adoption.github_stars | 16,391 | 51,839 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 4,104,659 | 8,700,886 |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | An open-source runtime that packages web applications built with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to run natively on iOS, Android, and as Progressive Web Apps, with access to platform-specific native APIs through a unified JavaScript interface. | A comprehensive development platform enabling developers to build native applications for iOS, Android, and web using React. Provides integrated tools for building, testing, submitting to app stores, delivering over-the-air updates, and monitoring production applications. |
| features.capabilities | `{"targets":"iOS, Android, Progressive Web App","approach":"webview_hybrid","language":"JavaScript, HTML, CSS","hot_reload":true,"web_target":true,"single_codebase":true,"native_api_access":"full"}` | `{"targets":"iOS, Android, web","approach":"native_render","language":"JavaScript/TypeScript","web_target":true,"ota_updates":true,"native_widgets":true,"single_codebase":true,"native_api_access":"full"}` |
| integrations.count | 21 | 9 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Action Sheet"},{"name":"App Launcher"},{"name":"App Browser"},{"name":"Camera"},{"name":"Clipboard"},{"name":"Device"},{"name":"Dialog"},{"name":"Filesystem"},{"name":"Geolocation"},{"name":"Google Maps"},{"name":"Haptics"},{"name":"Keyboard"},{"name":"Local Notifications"},{"name":"Motion"},{"name":"Network"},{"name":"Push Notifications"},{"name":"Screen Reader"},{"name":"Share"},{"name":"Splash Screen"},{"name":"Status Bar"},{"name":"Storage"},{"name":"Text Zoom"},{"name":"Toast"},{"name":"Cordova plugins"}]` | `[{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"maestro"},{"name":"Fastlane"},{"name":"Xcode"},{"name":"Android Studio"},{"name":"ADB"},{"name":"Metro"},{"name":"Webpack"},{"name":"Repack"},{"name":"Fingerprint"}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | MIT | MIT |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free, open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://capacitorjs.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T21:32:22.143Z"}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"$0/month","features":["15 Android and 15 iOS builds","Low-priority queue","60 min CI/CD Workflows","Submit to app stores","Send updates to 1K MAUs","Access to Launch","Access to Observe","1 concurrent build","45-minute build timeout","Organization-wide app credential management","Two-factor authentication","Unlimited members","Fair use limited MCP Server"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For solo developers working on a passion project","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"maus":"1K","builds":"15 Android, 15 iOS","projects":"25","ci_workflow_minutes":"60"}},{"free":false,"name":"Starter","summary":"$19/month + usage costs","features":["$45 of build credit, then usage-based pricing","High-priority queue","Access to large workers","Send updates to 3K MAUs","Access to Observe","1 concurrent build ($50 per additional, up to 5 extra)","2-hour build timeout","Organization-wide app credential management","Two-factor authentication","Unlimited members"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":19,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For developers ready to launch real-world apps","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"maus":"3K","projects":"50","build_credit":"$45"}},{"free":false,"name":"Production","summary":"$199/month + usage costs","features":["$225 of build credit, then usage-based pricing","2 included concurrencies","Send updates to 50K MAUs","10 custom environment variables","Priority support","Single sign-on (SSO)","High-priority queue","2-hour build timeout","Access to Observe","Organization-wide app credential management","Two-factor authentication","EAS SOC 2 Type 2 report","Unlimited members","$50 per additional concurrency (up to 5 extra)"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":199,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For teams building and distributing production apps","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"maus":"50K","projects":"100","build_credit":"$225","concurrencies":"2","env_environments":"10"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["Custom build credit (starting at $1000)","5 included concurrencies","Send updates to 1M+ MAUs","CI/CD Workflows insights","Slack and strategic support add-on available","Service Level Agreements","Single sign-on (SSO)","High-priority queue","2-hour build timeout","Organization-wide app credential management","Two-factor authentication","EAS SOC 2 Type 2 report","Unlimited members","$50 per additional concurrency"],"description":"For apps with scale, security, and compliance needs","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"maus":"1M+","projects":"300","build_credit":"$1000+","concurrencies":"5"}}],"addOns":[{"name":"Additional concurrency","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"concurrency","amount":50,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]},{"name":"Slack and strategic support"}],"summary":"From $19/month. Free tier available.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://expo.dev/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T21:38:44.673Z","startingPrice":{"amount":19,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | mid |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.5.0","date":"2026-07-31T15:46:27Z","type":"stable","version":"8.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.6","date":"2026-07-14T17:39:35Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.2","date":"2026-07-14T17:32:32Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.8","date":"2026-07-14T17:36:20Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.5","date":"2026-06-23T15:59:41Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.4","date":"2026-06-19T08:47:04Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.1","date":"2026-06-19T09:02:01Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.7","date":"2026-06-19T08:43:00Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.3","date":"2026-06-02T16:26:24Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.0","date":"2026-06-02T15:56:06Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.6","date":"2026-06-02T16:09:17Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.2","date":"2026-05-12T21:10:28Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.3.4","date":"2026-05-12T20:39:01Z","type":"stable","version":"8.3.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.5","date":"2026-05-12T20:49:34Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.1","date":"2026-05-08T17:21:41Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.3.3","date":"2026-05-08T17:08:43Z","type":"stable","version":"8.3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.4","date":"2026-05-08T17:17:23Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.0","date":"2026-05-07T17:15:53Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.3.2","date":"2026-05-07T16:55:22Z","type":"stable","version":"8.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.3","date":"2026-05-07T16:57:50Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.3"}]` | - |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 5.1 | 5 |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40capacitor%2Fcore&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=babel-preset-expo&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Mobile App Frameworks)

| Capability | Capacitor | Expo |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Target platforms | iOS, Android, Progressive Web App | iOS, Android, web |
| Approach | WebView hybrid | Cross-platform native render |
| Primary language | JavaScript, HTML, CSS | JavaScript/TypeScript |
| **Rendering** |  |  |
| Renders true native UI | - | ✓ |
| **DX** |  |  |
| Hot reload | ✓ | - |
| TypeScript-first | - | - |
| **Delivery** |  |  |
| Over-the-air code push | - | ✓ |
| **Portability** |  |  |
| Single codebase, multiple platforms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Desktop support | - | - |
| Builds for web | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Capability** |  |  |
| Native API access | Full native | Full native |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Bundled UI component library | - | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:46:24.236Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*